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Thursday, January 16, 2014

LUCASVILLE, Ohio (AP) — Prison officials say an Ohio killer scheduled to die by a never-tried lethal injection method was awake all night talking on the phone and writing letters.

Ohio prisons spokeswoman JoEllen Smith says death row inmate Dennis McGuire also had emotional visits with family members including his son and daughter last night and this morning.

Smith says a check of McGuire's veins found them in good shape for the intravenous injection of the lethal drugs scheduled for later this morning. Ohio adopted the use of the new execution method after supplies of a drug used previously dried up when its manufacturer put it off limits for capital punishment.

The 53-year-old McGuire was sentenced to die for the 1989 rape and killing of a pregnant woman.

Smith says McGuire declined breakfast and a shower today.

CLINIC WORKER SLAIN

Slaying of Cleveland Clinic worker sparks outrage

(Information in the following story is from: WEWS-TV, http://www.newsnet5.com )

CLEVELAND (AP) — The weekend slaying of a hospital employee gunned down on his way to work has sparked concern and outrage in one northeast Ohio community.

A regularly scheduled neighborhood safety meeting in an east Cleveland neighborhood on Wednesday turned into a plea to get the community more engaged in stopping the violence.

WEWS-TV reports that the latest victim was 30-year-old Stephen Halton Jr. He was slain Saturday morning walking to a bus stop on his way to work at the Cleveland Clinic. Police suspect it was a robbery attempt, but no arrests have been made.

A co-worker said Halton, who worked in anesthesiology, had been paged to come into work Saturday morning to help with an emergency liver transplant case.

A candlelight vigil was planned for Thursday night.

BASE-PRIVATIZATION

Ohio base plans closer partnerships with community

(Information in the following story is from: Dayton Daily News, http://www.daytondailynews.com )

DAYTON, Ohio (AP) — Leaders at Ohio's largest military base say will build closer relationships with the private sector as they contend with a shrinking defense budget.

Wright-Patterson Air Force Base brass on Wednesday emphasized the need for stronger partnerships and cost effectiveness following stark budget cuts and civilian furloughs last year.

Col. Cassie B. Barlow, commander of the 88th Air Base Wing at the base, says the public and private sector partnerships could range from developers constructing new buildings on the on the base, to contracts with cities or the state for shared services or to cut costs on purchases.

The Dayton Daily News reports that Air Force leaders plan to explain the community partnership initiative Feb. 20.

CHILD KILLED-OHIO SHOOTING

Ohio dad who shot daughter, 11, seeks funeral pass

(Information in the following story is from: The Cincinnati Enquirer, http://www.enquirer.com )

CINCINNATI (AP) — A Cincinnati man charged with fatally shooting his 11-year-old daughter wants out of jail to attend her funeral.

Deandre Kelley's attorney filed the motion Wednesday asking that his client be allowed to attend Saturday's funeral of Shanti Lanza. Kelley is charged with reckless homicide in his daughter's death.

The Cincinnati Enquirer reports a hearing is scheduled for Thursday on Kelley's request.

Police say the 34-year-old Kelley fired shots into the air outside the house Sunday while arguing with the girl's mother. One of them hit the girl in her bedroom, where she had fled when her parents started arguing. Kelley's attorney says the shooting was accidental.

PSYCHOLOGIST-INDECENT EXPOSURE CHARGES

Police: Ohio psychologist exposed himself

(Information in the following story is from: Dayton Daily News, http://www.daytondailynews.com )

CENTERVILLE, Ohio (AP) — Police say a psychologist at an Ohio Veterans Affairs hospital faces charges after allegedly exposing himself to people at a shopping center who he convinced to walk with him to his car.

The Dayton Daily News reports that police in the Dayton suburb of Centerville have charged Dr. Joshua W. Shuman with misdemeanor counts of indecent exposure. He pleaded not guilty this week.

Court records said the charges stemmed from incidents in March and December last year.

The newspaper reports that the 34-year-old Shuman has remained on the staff of the Dayton VA Medical Center but has been moved to an area where he has no contact with patients. He has resigned from a position with the Ohio Psychological Association.

A pretrial hearing is set for Feb. 6.

KILLER FORGIVEN

Ohio mom forgives teen who killed her son

(Information in the following story is from: The Columbus Dispatch, http://www.dispatch.com )

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — A central Ohio mother whose 19-year-old son was fatally shot by a 16-year-old boy on a street corner tells a judge she has forgiven the shooter.

Alisha Kali said in a Columbus courtroom Wednesday that her family has forgiven Michael L. Cantrell, who was sentenced to 18 years in prison.

Cantrell, now 18, pleaded guilty last month to an adult charge of voluntary manslaughter in the death of Kylan Cunningham. Witnesses saw Cantrell pull a handgun and fire at Cunningham during an argument.

Kali said her wish for Cantrell was to "take this 18 years and make something productive, come back in society and give, opposed to taking away."

The Columbus Dispatch reports that Cantrell apologized to Kali at the hearing.

FATAL FIRE-OHIO

Man killed in northeast Ohio fire

RUSSELL TOWNSHIP, Ohio (AP) — Authorities in northeast Ohio say a man has been killed in a house fire.

The Geauga County coroner's office confirmed the death of the man in the blaze Wednesday in Russell Township, east of Cleveland. His name hasn't been released.

Geauga County sheriff's Lt. John Hiscox said several departments responded to fight the fire and contained it to two rooms. The dead man was found in a bedroom.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

EXPLOSIVES ARREST-OHIO

Deputies find explosives during Ohio eviction

(Information in the following story is from: The Columbus Dispatch, http://www.dispatch.com )

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Deputies who went to evict a man from a central Ohio home say they found explosive devices, rambling writings on the wall and the oven booby-trapped to explode.

Franklin County Sheriff Zach Scott said deputies found four explosive devices in the Columbus house — in addition to the booby-trapped oven — when they went there Wednesday to evict 55-year-old Mark A. Kulis. Several area homes were evacuated while the bomb squad detonated the devices.

Scott tells The Columbus Dispatch that in writings on the walls and ceiling of house Kulis claimed to be a "sovereign citizen" who isn't obligated to pay taxes or follow most laws.

Deputies said Kulis had a loaded handgun when he was arrested at a car wash near his home. Attorney information wasn't available.